Clothespin



N. H. CURTIS Oct. 24, 1950 CLOTHESPIN Filed Jam-13, 1948 Fig.

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4 4 0 w ,LJ W w :0 M 2 2 Patented Oct. 24, 1950 I CLOTHE SPIN Newell H. Curtis, Montpelier, Vt., assignor to Vermont Plastics, Inc., Montpelier, Vt., a. corporation of Vermont Application January 13, 1948, Serial No. 1,961

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in clothes pins and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a clothes pin including novel and improved means for hanging the clothes pin from a structural element such as a line or the like in a conveniently accessible position.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a clothes pin including a pair of companion arms having opposed pockets facilitating the positive clamping engagement of the present clothes pin with an article of clothing.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a clothes pin of plastic material facilitating the same to be used outdoors for long periods of time without afiecting the normal efliciency of the device for clampingly supporting elements of clothing.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a clothes pin of the aforementioned characte that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, neat and attractive in appearance, small and compact in structure, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing the present invention hanging from a line (shown in section);

Figure 2 is a front elevational view corresponding with Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional line taken substantially on the plane of section line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numerals I and I2 represent a pair of companionarms of preferably plastic material generally each comprising a flat outer face I4, a pair of spaced parallel side walls I6 and I8 having straight edges at one end that incline inwardly as at 22 toward the rear terminals 24 of the arms In and I2.

Projecting inwardly from the forward ends of 2 Claims. (CI. 2484) the arms III and I2 and integrally termed with the arms I0 and I2 are opposed gripping jaws 28 having inclined tips 30 and opposed notches 32.

The bearing portions 34 of these jaws 28 terminate in a plane parallel with the straight edges 20 of the side walls I6 and I8.

Integrally formed with the arms I0 and I2 at substantially the centers of said arms are pro- -jections or lugs 36 having concaved pockets or recesses 38 that frictionally engage a coil spring 40. The end portions or arms 42 and 44 of this spring extend along opposite sides of the arms I0 and IZ and are provided with angulated extremities 46 and 48 that frictionall engage notches 50 and.52 provided in the outer faces of the arms I0 and I2 adjacent the forward ends 26 of the arms l0 and I2. Said spring 40 normally retains the jaws 28 in a clamped position as shown best in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings.

The numeral 54 represents the hanger element used in conjunction with the present invention generally comprising a preferably flat strip of metal having a hook 56 at the one end that terminates in an inclined tip 58 that prevents disngagement of the hook 56 with a supporting line 60. The opposite end 62 of the hanger element 54 is provided with notches 64 in opposite edges that engage a pair of adjacent loops or coils of the spring 40. Obviously, the hanger may be quickly and readily disengaged from the spring 40 by merely twisting the hanger so that the same may be slid from its position between the coil spring.

,It should be noted, that the ends 24 of the arms I0 and I2 and the outer extremities of the tips 30 are rounded as at 66 to prevent tearing of garments gripped between jaws 28. Also, it is noted that opposed pockets or recesses 68 between lugs 36 and jaws 28 are provided to facilitate a tight gripping action of the jaws.

Having described the invention, what is claimed asnew is:

1. A plastic clothes pin comprising a pair of opposed arms each having fiat outer faces and spaced side walls, opposing gripping jaws at one end of said arms, opposed recesses provided in said arms intermediate the ends of said arms, a coil spring positioned in said recesses, said spring having outwardly projecting arm portions bearing against opposite side walls of said arms, said arm portions of said spring having angulated extremities, transverse seats provided in the outer faces of said arms adjacent said gripping jaws respring, and gripping pockets provided in the inner faces of said arms adjacent said jaws.

2. A clothes Din comprising a pair of arms having companion gripping jaws, means normally retaining the jaws in clamped position, said means including a coil spring positioned between said jaws, an elongated hanger arm having notches at one end receiving a pair of adjacent convolutions of said spring, a hook at the free end of said hanger arm, and a pair of opposed gripping pockets provided in the inner faces of said arms adjacent said jaws.

NEWELL H. CURTIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: I j

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Baumel Apr. 1, 1919 King Sept. 27, 1921 Buttrick June 6, 1922 Moore July 7, 1925 Wisecup Apr. 14, 1942 "Santora Oct. 10, 1944 Mosaly Oct. 15, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Mar. 17, 1932 

